The real 4-year cost of Washington and Lee University in Virginia
Over the 18 years from 2008 to 2026, published tuition and required fees at Washington and Lee University went from $37,412 to $75,105, an average of 4.5% a year. The 2026–27 figure is the school's own announced rate.
2026–27 rate announced: $75,105Tuition $73,575 + mandatory fees $1,530 (activity/tech/health/SBA).source
2008–2030: history and projection
| Year | Published | Projected estimate | Estimate range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $37,412 | – | – |
| 2009 | $38,877 | – | – |
| 2010 | $40,387 | – | – |
| 2011 | $41,927 | – | – |
| 2012 | $43,362 | – | – |
| 2013 | $44,507 | – | – |
| 2014 | $45,617 | – | – |
| 2015 | $46,417 | – | – |
| 2016 | $48,267 | – | – |
| 2017 | $50,170 | – | – |
| 2018 | $52,455 | – | – |
| 2019 | $54,830 | – | – |
| 2020 | $57,285 | – | – |
| 2021 | $59,380 | – | – |
| 2022 | $61,750 | – | – |
| 2023 | $64,525 | – | – |
| 2026 | $75,105 | $75,105 | – |
| 2027 | – | $78,464 | $77,827–$79,100 |
| 2028 | – | $81,973 | $80,648–$83,308 |
| 2029 | – | $85,638 | $83,572–$87,739 |
| 2030 | – | $89,468 | $86,601–$92,406 |
If you pay full sticker
Projected tuition + fees, entering fall 2026.
| Year 1 | $75,105 |
| Year 2 | $78,464 |
| Year 3 | $81,973 |
| Year 4 | $85,638 |
| 4-year total | $321,180 |
Two aid scenarios
4-year out-of-pocket total.
- $10,000/yr flat scholarship
- $281,180
- Flat aid doesn't grow, so it covers less each year.
- 50%-of-tuition scholarship
- $163,600
- Percentage aid keeps pace with tuition.
On-campus housing & meals
Room & board (housing plus the standard meal plan), on top of tuition.
- Announced 2026–27
- $20,575/ yr
- rising 5.9% / yr
- Projected 4-year add-on
- $89,836
School’s own published rateHousing $10,580 + food $9,995.source
Books & supplies typically add ~$1,200 a year (national median, not included).
Housing here is rising faster than tuition.
Run your own numbers
Enter your actual scholarship offer to see your real 4-year total.
See my 4-year cost at Washington and Lee University4-year schools with similar prices in Virginia
Closest to Washington and Lee University by published tuition and fees. Similar sticker prices can still compound very differently.
- University of Richmond$70,725
- Hampden-Sydney College$52,388
- Randolph-Macon College$48,002
- Hollins University$42,260
- Eastern Mennonite University$41,860
- Bridgewater College$41,350
- Averett University$38,550
- Ferrum College$38,320
Use this data
Published figures for Washington and Lee University from federal IPEDS data through 2023, free to download or embed with attribution. The embed stays current as the data updates.